Key facts
- The death toll from the capsized Virgo Transport 8 ferry in Indonesia's Java Sea has risen to 28.
- 107 people remain missing following the incident.
- The ferry was carrying 243 people, including 30 crew members.
- The Virgo Transport 8 capsized in bad weather on September 13.
- Rescuers are focusing their underwater search on the ship's hull and cabins.
The official death toll from the capsized Virgo Transport 8 ferry in Indonesia's Java Sea has risen to 28 as of Wednesday, with 107 people still missing. Rescuers are widening their underwater search efforts, focusing on the ship's hull and cabins, where many passengers are believed to be trapped. The ferry, carrying 243 people and an unknown number of vehicles, capsized in bad weather on September 13 during a voyage from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan. Officials stated that 14 bodies were recovered from inside the ship over the past three days, and two more were found washed ashore in Central Kalimantan province, approximately 250-253 kilometers from the accident site. Rescuers found five bodies on Monday, four on Tuesday, and seven on Wednesday. Divers have managed to break cabin windows but have been hindered from entering due to murky water and strong currents. Efforts to right the capsized vessel are underway, but it remained capsized on Wednesday. The search and rescue operations have been extended until Sunday next week.